


Play A Little Game With Me

by awheyaway



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: CYOA, Choose Your Own Adventure, Gen, Interactive Fiction, POV Second Person, RQBB2020, Rusty Quill Big Bang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26309659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awheyaway/pseuds/awheyaway
Summary: This is a preview of an interactive work created for the 2020 Rusty Quill Big Bang, with art by @Gammija. The full game features over fifty unique endings, and is available via a link in the end notes.When an encounter with the Distortion goes awry, you're certain your luck's run out. Except, here's the thing - Michael decides plain old murder is getting boring, and he wants to have a bit of fun. He offers you a choice: dozens upon dozens of branching doors, all leading to different times and places within the world of the Magnus Archives. Choose correctly, and you might enjoy the results and secure your freedom. Choose wrong, and the results will enjoy you.Thank you to @gawain_in_green and @sazandorable for playtesting!
Relationships: Elias Bouchard/Peter Lukas (background), Jonathan Sims/Martin Blackwood (background)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 32
Collections: Rusty Quill Big Bang 2020





	Play A Little Game With Me

Realistically speaking, you always figured it would come to this. You’d rather hoped it wouldn’t, but in this business, things always ended the same way.  Backed into a corner, staring in fear up at a creature that’s mere seconds away from devouring you.

It doesn’t even make sense. The Distortion’s corridors are notorious for _not having corners_. But… here you are. The thing that, according to Gertrude, has recently begun to call itself Michael giggles, teeth bared in an inhuman grin. Its distended hands flutter about in glee like demented butterflies as it raises them towards you. You close your eyes and wait for the end.

It doesn’t come. You open your eyes to see that the Distortion appears to be hesitating.

And then, just as quickly as it approached, it backs off. Your path is still blocked, but you’re not being actively menaced. The grin has faded from its face.  You’re not quite sure what’s going on here, but before you can say anything, the Distortion speaks, its hand beneath its chin in a mockery of a contemplative gesture.

“This is... boring.”

You're not quite sure what to say to that, honestly.

“I suppose it’s just the fact that it’s the same thing I’ve done hundreds of times before," it continues in a dry tone. "Trapping somebody in my corridors and waiting for them to slowly lose their minds, then going in for the kill... I'm just tired of repeating the same old formula."

The discordant echo of its voice sends pulses of agony through your head.

"So, let's twist things up a little, shall we?" It chuckles in abject glee, and the sound continues for far longer than it should. "Why don't we make a little game out of this? You like games, don't you?"

You weigh your options. On one hand, you don't exactly want to participate in whatever "little game" this creature has cooked up for you. On the other, though, that could at least give you a chance of survival. You look up at the Distortion, see the gleam of barely suppressed impatience in its eyes, and tentatively nod. It’s smiling again, and the corners of its mouth stretch ever farther apart. “I’m glad to hear that.” 

It steps to the side, and you see that the hallway behind it has changed. Where there once stood an impossible amalgamation of looping corridors and mirrors, there is now only a single straight passage, leading forward towards a bright yellow door.  There is no way to go but forward.  Your hand closes around the handle and you pull it open.

“Go on. Step through.”

You do as Michael tells you and walk forward, into the room that awaits you. The door creaks closed behind you, suddenly cutting off the laugh that follows you in.  And then, there is nothing but silence as you gaze around the room you now find yourself in.

It’s a room full of doors- which you should’ve expected, given the context. They circle you on all sides, and as you spin, you count seven identical thresholds. You suddenly realize you’ve lost track of which door you came in through.

Michael’s voice breaks the silence, echoing through the room from an indistinguishable source. “Each of these doors lead to different times and places. Some, you might enjoy. Others will, well… enjoy you." It giggles again, the sound building on itself and doubling over in the confines of the room, making you wince and clap your hands over your ears until it fades.

"Actually, do you know what?" it adds, almost as an afterthought. "I'll let you in on a little secret here- I can almost assure you, you will in fact enjoy _none_ of the experiences behind those doors! Isn't that just delightful!"

You take a deep breath, already regretting agreeing to this, and appraise the identical doors surrounding you.

You have a decision to make.

**Author's Note:**

> Make Your Choice: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hDLBtJVV1qXNdnnKNd_FH4hWJTbAu7VS5gC3ECObkl8/edit?usp=sharing


End file.
